Is Brad Pitt a fishfinger? – Brand Design Analysis on Inglourious Basterds

Best Agency Christmas Present I ever received… so far.

"So what the hell does that mean?" is probably going through your head. Well here’s the rub… the Poster design for Inglourious Basterds was akin to having a great shot of a fishfinger on a pack of… well.. fishfingers.  No differentiation, nothing to build the brand. Bland. Blends into the background. Status quo. Following Market conventions… Don’t agree? Let me prove it.

Exhibit A: The Inglourious Basterds Poster (Mainstream)

Exhibit B: The Valkyrie Poster

Spot the difference. None… design-wise anyway. Now you can see Brad Pitt in typical fish-finger style… blending into the background of mediocre poster history.  Why would Tarantino bow down to corporate pressure like this and risk his almost instantaneously recognised style and colouring for mass-produced crap like this?

To be fair… there were incredibly great-looking posters made alongside this one… the issue I have is that the mass-produced poster was the most ubiquitous. Which was a shit move, marketing-wise. I’d fire whoever approved it, and am highly disappointed with Tarantino for condoning it.

Anyway… here’s the great ones…

So there you have it.  On the mass poster, Brad Pitt is a fish-finger. That poster should not have been made, let alone be put up as the main attraction.  The movie was fucking awesome, regardless.

A Short History of Marketing

This is one of the simplest, most brilliant explanations of our current predicament in Marketing. Specially focusing on the relationship between branding and the consumer’s perception of brand and it’s evolution from the time products started getting packed and put onto shelves. Brilliant.

The short animation is done by Scholz & Friends.

Coke Zero Zero 7 : Bond Brand Tie-in

Coke in the UK is doing a tie-in with the New James Bond Movie, Quantum of Solace. How cool is the Coke Zero Artwork for the tie-in? I Love it, I’d drink that.

from Adage.com

Coca-Cola Great Britain has teamed up with Sony Entertainment to help promote the upcoming James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace,” by renaming the Coke Zero brand as Coca-Cola Zero Zero 7.
In addition to the name change, which will last for the duration of the tie-in, Coca-Cola Zero Zero 7 will have specially crafted bottles featuring the 007 logo, a picture of star Daniel Craig and the new film’s title. (Bond fans will most certainly note the gun-barrel detailing on the Coke bottle’s familiar contour.)

…

Coke Zero will be seen in the film, but traditionalists will be pleased to learn that James Bond will not be drinking it — Agent 007 is sticking with his martini.

…

Coca-Cola Great Britain is just one of many sponsors to have poured around $100 million of marketing money into “Quantum of Solace,” the 22nd instalment of the Bond franchise. Other marketers include Heineken, Ford, Sony Ericsson, Sony Electronics, Smirnoff, Omega, Virgin Atlantic and Bollinger.

: Coke Zero, Quantum of Solace, Coke Zero Zero 7, James Bond, UK

Marketing in Ramadan

Functionally (mostly from an FMCG perspective), Marketing in Ramadan poses real business restrictions and opportunities. For example, you can’t flight certain TV ads during Ramadan, not because of content but because the space will already be booked out and it will be mostly food brands which market their stuff during this time. You have to also take into account that Muslims in general watch less TV during this time.

In terms of actual launches of innovation in the Middle-Eastern/Muslim markets, launching a product in Ramadan doesn’t ever happen. The local marketing teams in these countries will feed this back to anyone trying to push it. Project plans for any launches in or around Ramadan are generally shifted to be either a month before or a month after Ramadan.

Other things which need to be taken into account is that people generally work shorter days in Ramadan, also when it comes to the end of Ramadan, the festival of Eid, most people in the Middle East will be off for a week or two on holiday, very similar to what happens at Christmas time for the western world.

Interesting stuff, eh?

However there are brands that are increasingly starting to market themselves in Ramadan and specifically to a Muslim Audience…

This year, Ramadan really seems to have gotten marketers in a buzz with new product launches and even, as I had mentioned before, New artwork on current products (Coke). Starbucks has also jumped on the band-wagon by introducing a range of Arabic coffees and pastries for its Middle-Eastern consumers specifically for Ramadan. The new coffee range will feature its ‘Anniversary Blend’ coffee along with the traditional ‘Arabian Mocha Timor’ blend.

Rana Shaheen, CSR & Communications Manager, Starbucks Middle East & Egypt said:

Starbucks is committed to provide its customers with the best it can offer during this special time of year and there is no better way to welcome the holy month but with the Traditional Arabian coffees coupled with delicious pastries – a perfect treat you can enjoy after breaking your fast.

From Dubai City Guide, we get this glorious wonderful marketing verbiage on the range Starbucks is proposing for its Ramadan range…

Ramadan pastries include the ‘Fig and Coconut Bar’, a delicious fruity filling of plump figs blended with a taste of exotic coconut on a shortbread base. This marvellous combination of fig jam, walnut and biscuit base, topped with a layer of coconut, is designed to perfectly complement Starbucks featured coffees and iced espresso beverages.

Another treat includes the ‘Pistachio Delight’, a mouthwatering and delicious cake, flavoured with pistachio, creamy filling and rosewater, the perfect traditional combination for Ramadan sweets. Customers can also enjoy the ‘Date and Apricot loaf’, the home-made fruity flavor of Arabia with a hint of apricot and a twist of nuts.

The featured coffee beverage for this month is the classic Iced Caramel Macchiato, a sweet, indulgent treat, available hot as well. Sweet and rich with caramel and featuring a pronounced espresso flavour, Caramel Macchiato delivers an indulgent sweet coffee experience. The cold versions of the beverage provide a revitalising experience for the warm summer months.

It’s okay dudes… we like Starbucks, you don’t have to sell it to us like that… that’s just cheesy. When will Marketers Learn to talk to people and not AT people! The quote above looks like it comes directly from a product pamphlet or maybe even the PR department.
: Ramadan, Marketing, Middle East, Muslims, Fasting, Coke , Starbucks

Open up an Ice Cold Ramadaan Coke…

Coke’s new initiative to get at its consumers involves tailoring its product to hit the Muslim community in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Morocco, Tunisia, and other countries with a great many Muslims.

Check the image above which shows Coke’s Official Ramadan Packaging. Well I guess some Muslims would definitely agree that it is pretty good to break ones fast with an Ice Cold Coke. Interesting concept. Coke’s also targeting the 21010 World cup here in SA and also Christmas, etc. Some of these activities Coke’s been doing for ages, but this is the first time I’ve heard them targeting Muslims in Ramadan.

There’s no doubting that the opportunity is there, I just wonder how many Muslims would wise up and actually say… “WTF? I am NOT a Target Market!” Same tactics, different market. I would say that it does war m me up to the brand knowing they’re making something specifically for a Muslim kid like me, but there is definitely a piece of me that’s a bit uncomfortable being so blatantly targeted.

In all likelihood I don’t think we’ll see the Ramadaan Coke in South Africa. The Muslim population is too small to justify the change I would guess, although there is an opportunity if they target Muslim wholesalers and retailers, we got tons of those here.

Peace!
: Coke, Marketing, Ramadan, Ramadaan, Muslims, Advertising

Activia Adjam: Saying it like it is…

This is probably what would happen if Marketers told the truth. Sorry for the unimpressive alteration of the ad, but I have no access to Photoshop on this computer :P

I think it’s classic though. “Activia: Helping Women Shit Better.” hahaha.

I think I read this somewhere before, but I can’t remember exactly where.

Royal Enfield targets “Indian Mama’s Boys”

Royal Enfield, the motorcycle manufacturer, has just launched a brilliant campaign in India using a very widely known trend in India… the “Mama’s Boy”.

From the Press Release:

“The campaign is based on a big social truth that most Indian men are ‘mama’s boy’.”

The campaign: “Leave Home” for the Thunderbird Twinspark

The agency is Wieden & Kennedy and the ad is due to be flighted in Indian Auto and Lad magazines.

Other Prints:
Revolution.
Kid.

Link

: Wieden & Kennedy, Royal Enfield, Indian, Marketing, Advertising

A Positive Twist Away from Xenophobia: The Standard Bank TV Ad

I thought Standard Bank’s new TV ad for Africa day which ends with something like… “It’s not that we are in Africa, Africa is in us…” is a very effective ad for the bank.

It capitalises on Standard Banks’ diverse range of African personell (40000) across the continent as well as being pertinent to Africa Day and the current xenophobia crisis in South Africa. It does a great job with advertising the Standard Bank Brand – capitalising in organisational competencies, brand values and some very appropriate timing.

You can catch the making of the TV ad here. Or download the video here.

Creating awareness for Africa Day took on a practical meaning for our staff, who starred in this TV advertisement. Shot in Durban, South Africa, we were able to draw on the inherent diversity of our people from across the continent. Staff chosen from our 18 countries of operation participated in the filming, most appearing in front of the camera for the first time. – from the “Standard Bank Africa Day” website

: Standard Bank, Advertising, Bank, South Africa, Africa Day, Brand

Adidas Launches Limited Edition HellBoy 2 Sneakers

Adidas Originals has launched a pair of limited edition sneakers by partnering with Universal Pictures and Dark Horse Comics to mark the upcoming release of Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. the highly-anticipated sequel by Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro.

The shoes, designed with Universal Studios, the Forum Mid comes in a good mix of red, black, and gold with a white bottom sole. It has an Original Adidas logo on the tongue with an emblazoned Hellboy logo on the velcro strap. The Stan Smith mid, created with Dark Horse, comes in black patent leather with red shoelaces. It features an exclusive image of Hellboy himself in a very stylized graphic. It also has very nice details including an engraved outer sole, lace jewels, and unique tongue branding.

The newly-designed kicks are reportedly due for release in July.

Technorati Tags: Adidas, Hellboy 2, Sneakers, Limited Edition

Unilever’s 10,000 Domain Name Portfolio

Unilever, at current has more than 10,000 domain names attributed to it, when just 10 years ago they had less than a 100. 50% of the 10,000 were registered in the last 2 years and most of the sites are unused or direct traffic to out of date sites.

Unilever, recently crowned Digital Marketer of the Year, had registered so many domains so that it could promote it’s various brands and promotions. Obviously the registration of these domains had occurred via the brand teams within Unilever with no real thought as to the bigger picture or follow-up of what the domains would be doing after they had been used.

Unilever is now moving to cull at least 30-40% of its domain name portfolio after carrying out a trademark audit on each of the domains (that’ll take some time…)

For domain name squatters, those guys who register domain names in anticipation that some big corporate entity would want it later and dish out the dough to get it. Unilever actually has a policy around dealing with anyone who practices domain name front-running, cyber-squatting and domain name speculation and are not afraid to sue. In fact they are also involved in creating legislation around the very issue.

This is interesting stuff too keep in mind, especially when we look into the legalities of cyberspace and how these laws cross boundaries and get implemented.

Technorati Tags: Unilever, Marketing, Brands, Domain Names, cyber-squatting

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